The UK-Poland Business Awards 2025 marked the launch of a new initiative celebrating outstanding business achievements that strengthen economic ties between the UK and Poland.
The inaugural edition took place on 23th June 2025, as the UK launched it's new 10 year plan for business, the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy. The Awards brought together business leaders, investors, and government representatives to honour companies that have demonstrated excellence in investment, innovation, sustainability, and bilateral collaboration.
The awards are organised by the British Embassy in Warsaw and the British Polish Chamber of Commerce (BPCC).
Polish Investor of the Year Award
InPost Group
A leading out-of-home e-commerce enablement platform in Europe. InPost Group operates across key geographies: Poland, the UK, Italy and the Iberian Peninsula, as well as France and Benelux.InPost Group provides modern logistics delivery through the network of more than 50,000 out-of-home pick-up points, including over 27,000 Automated Parcel Machines (“APMs”), as well as to-door courier and fulfilment services to e-commerce merchants.
Why were they chosen?
Recognizing their historic commitment to invest £600 million in the UK through 2029, bringing the total investment to £1 billion and creating up to 12,000 new jobs, thereby becoming the largest Polish investor in the UK.
British Investor of the Year Award
Reckitt
A British multinational consumer goods company known for health, hygiene, and nutrition brands like Dettol, Lysol, Durex, and Strepsils. It operates globally with a mission to create a cleaner, healthier world.
Why were they chosen?
For their contribution to the Polish economy through job creation, exports and investment, including through over £300m worth of investments in Nowy Dwor Mazowiecki since 2018 that have helped establish its position as the largest Reckitt manufacturing site in the world and a major contributor to Poland’s balance of trade.
Winning Business in the UK Award
Tele-Fonika Kable
A leading Polish manufacturer of cables and cable systems for energy, telecommunications, and industrial sectors, with a strong focus on innovation and sustainability. TFKable's expertise is demonstrated by its continuous cable supply to electricity distribution network operators and involvement in various investment projects, including conventional, wind, and photovoltaic power plants.
Why were they chosen?
For becoming a vital member of the UK's offshore wind supply chain through its acquisition of JDR Cable Systems and the subsequent investment into a £130m subsea cable factory near Blyth, which upon its completion will be the only facility in the UK capable of full start-to-finish manufacturing of high-voltage subsea cables – supporting further growth of the British and Polish offshore wind markets.
Find out more about the company
Winning Business in Poland Award
Castorama
Castorama is a leading retailer specializing in home improvement and DIY products. As part of the British group Kingfisher plc, Castorama benefits from the strength of a multinational organization that employs over 78,000 people across more than 2,000 stores throughout Europe.
Why were they chosen?
In recognition of Kingfisher plc’s Polish stores becoming the category leader by market share (as measured by GfK), and the largest UK employer in Poland with 107 stores, including five new openings in 2024.
British-Polish Collaboration Award
Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ)
Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) is one of the largest defense conglomerates in Europe. PGZ develops and manufactures innovative systems and solutions used by the Polish Armed Forces and allied formations. The Group’s portfolio includes advanced radar and radiolocation systems, firearms, optoelectronics, wheeled armored vehicles, barrel artillery, unmanned aerial systems, and battlefield management systems.
MBDA
MBDA is a world leader in missiles and missile systems, operating as the first truly integrated European defense company. With around 13,000 employees across the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and the US, MBDA delivers cutting-edge defense solutions.
Babcock
Babcock is a UK-based defense and aerospace company involved in naval engineering. They are the key partner in Poland’s Miecznik frigate program, supplying the Arrowhead 140 design.
Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ)
Thales Group, specializing in defense electronics and systems, including combat management systems for naval vessels
Why were they all chosen?
For their work on the Narew and Miecznik programmes that represent a historic contribution to Poland’s defences in the air defence and maritime domains, unprecedented transfer of key technologies and knowledge, delivering long-term benefit to industrial development, jobs and skills of both nations.
Award Inclusive Employer Award
London Stock Exchange Group
LSEG is one of the world’s leading providers of financial markets infrastructure and delivers financial data, analytics, news and index products to 44,000+ customers in over 170 countries.
Why were they chosen?
For LSEG's innovative HR solutions, management structure, and inclusive culture that fosters a strong sense of belonging among its staff in Gdynia who represent 60 nationalities speaking 40 languages.
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Debut of the Year Award
ElevenLabs
ElevenLabs is a fast-growing AI company specializing in natural-sounding speech synthesis and voice cloning, enabling multilingual dubbing and accessibility for content creators.
Why were they chosen?
For choosing London as their European headquarters from where the company will drive the expansion of its innovative AI-driven voice synthesis technology that earned them the impressive ‘triple unicorn’ status, highlighting your commitment to engaging with the thriving AI & tech community in London.
R&D Champion Award
GSK
GSK is a British multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company focused on developing vaccines and medicines, with a strong global presence.
Why were they chosen?
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of GSK’s R&D investment in Poland and the role the Polish R&D hub has played as a part of GSK’s global £6.4 billion R&D programme, underscoring their dedication to advancing medical science and developing innovative therapies.
Find out more about the company
Green Transition Champion Award
Lightsource bp
Lightsource bp is a global solar energy company headquartered in London and backed by BP. Lightsource bp develops and operates utility-scale solar projects to support the transition to renewable energy.
Why were they chosen?
For making a significant contribution towards Poland’s transition to carbon neutrality and the UK’s status as one of the top investors in Polish solar power market by building a pipeline of projects with a total capacity of 3.2 GW and launching your first Polish PV farm.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Martyn O'Reilly
Martyn O'Reilly was for many years Scottish Government Trade and Investment Envoy in Poland, Scotch Whisky Ambassador and senior member of BPCC leadership supporting British-Polish international trade and investment.
Why was he chosen?
For his contribution to the British-Polish business community since the mid-1990s, offering valuable financial advice to UK expats in Poland, and also for his role as Scotland’s Trade Envoy to Poland, Scotch Whisky Ambassador, and a key member of BPCC leadership over the years.
The UK's Modern Industrial Strategy
Our modern Industrial Strategy is making it quicker and easier to do business in the UK.
The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy is our ten-year plan to strengthen infrastructure, reduce costs for businesses and simplify regulation, providing the stability and ease you need to make long-term investment decisions.
With a highly skilled workforce and unrivalled global business connectivity, the UK provides an ideal location to scale, invest and grow your business. Access the G7’s lowest corporation tax, generous R&D tax credits and 100% capital allowance expensing.
The UK-Poland Business Awards are a powerful reflection of the dynamic and growing partnership between our two countries. By recognising excellence across sectors – from innovation and sustainability to defence and AI – we celebrate the businesses driving forward our shared economic future. It’s a proud moment to see such collaboration and ambition honoured on this new platform. With the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy launched this week, it’s especially fitting to recognise these companies leading the way.
Chris Barton
His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for Europe
UK's Department for Business and Trade
The UK's Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is a specialised government body with responsibility for negotiating international trade policy, supporting business, as well as delivering an outward-looking trade diplomacy strategy. DBT is in close partnership with regional investment and economic development agencies in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland means it is well placed to be the gateway to help global businesses achieve their investment objectives in all parts of the UK.
Our team at the British Embassy in Warsaw is well equipped to guide you on your journey to invest in the UK. We offer free and confidential advice and services to inward investors, giving new investors the confidence to invest and helping existing inward investors to expand and grow.
